Cutting device for severing a portion of tape unwound from a roll



March 11, 1952 J JARDINE 2,588,729

CUTTING DEVICE FOR SEVERING A PORTION OF TAPE UNWOUND FROM A ROLL FiledFeb. 12, 1948 Inventor DONALD JARDIHE by [/J' Attorney Patented Mar. 11,1952 CUTTING DEVICE FOR SEVERING A POR- TION F TAPE UNWOUND FROM A ROLLDonald J. J ardine, Regina, Saskatchewan,

, Canada Application February 12, 1948, Serial No. 7,821

2 Claims.

My present invention relates to improvements in a tape cutter andappertains particularly to a simple device for severing an unwoundportion of adhesive tape from a spool or roll thereof.

An object of the invention is to provide a cutting device for tape,ribbon, paper towels, waxed paper, toilet paper or other strip materialoccurring on spools or in rolled form that at least partially encirclesthe roll and contracts as the depleting roll is reduced in diameter.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tape cutter in theform of a spring band embracing the rolled material in at least apartial encirclement thereof and with a cutting edge for approximatelythe width of the roll.

A further object of the invention is to provide a coiled strip of metalor other springy material extending snugly around a roll of tape, forsubstantially more than 180, with a tearing edge of substantially thewidth of the roll and a pressure-applying thumb rest in the region ofsaid tearing edge.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a convenient,efiicient, handy and economical device for protecting a roll of materialand severing an unwound length therefrom that is characterized bystructural simplicity, operates with undiminished efiiciency to the endof the roll and is reusable with a succeeding roll and is capable ofmanufacture at a reasonable cost whereby the same is renderedcommercially desirable.

To the accomplishment of these and related objects as shall becomeapparent as the description proceeds, the invention resides in theconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts as shall behereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

The invention will be best understood and can be more clearly describedwhen reference is had to the drawings forming a part of this disclosurewherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the severalviews.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the cutter applied to a roll ofadhesive tape wound on a conventional type of spool in common use;'

Figure 2 is an end elevation thereof;

Figures 3 and 4 are vertical longitudinal and transverse sectionsrespectively; and

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the cutter strip alone, shown in fairlyopen form in solid outline and in contracted form in dotted outline.

Formed from a relatively thin, elongated strip of springy material andof a width corresponding with the tape to be cut this cutter or severingdefvice may be made of any suitable substance such asplastic, springsteel or the like, in a wide range of sizes and a variety of forms tomeet the particular adaptation and use desired.

The preferred embodiment illustrated herein is for use with theconventional type spool of surgical or adhesive tape in common use inhospital, surgery and home, the hollow axle I, on which a length of tape2 is wound, having wide flanged ends 3 between which the roll of tape isprotected.

My cutter strip 4, whose normal form is the closed coil continuingthrough more than a full convolution as shown in dotted outline inFigure 5, is stretched open to receive and clasp on the roll of tape 2assuming the open position of more than one-half convolution as shown insolid outline in Figure 5. This spring strip thus at least partiallyencircles and snugly engages the roll of tape from the time it isapplied over a full spool until the last of the tape has been withdrawnfrom a depleted roll. at

The strip 4 may be of uniform width throughout its length or the mainbody 5 may be narrow as seen in Figures 1, 2 and 3, in any event thecutting or tearing end 6 extending transversely of the strip and in astraight line is of substantially the full width of the tape 2 and isbevelled as at l to provide a sharp cutting edge.

A thumb rest 8, by means of which pressure may be applied to hold thesharp bevelled edge 1 against the roll while a withdrawn or unwoundlength of tape is being torn off, is cut free along three sides androunded upwards adjacent to or in the area of full width tearing end 6,such thumb engaging portion or wing being free on the side nearst thetearing edge and being upbent or curved away from said end, as isclearly seen in the drawings.

In use, the spool of tape is held in the left hand and the desiredlength of tape is withdrawn from the spool; the tape cutter is thenpressed tightly against the roll by pressure of the left thumb on theupturned rest or wing and the loose tape drawn back against the bevelledcutting edge easily and cleanly severing the same. The cutter snuglyengages the spool right down to the last piece of tape and is usable inlike manner on a new roll. If desired the thumb rest may be formed invarious shapes and contours and the cutting edge bevel dispensed withproviding the cutter strip is thin or sharp enough and adequate means isprovided for pressing the same tightly against the roll for the tearingoperation.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, itwill be manifest that a tape cutter is provided that willf-ulfil all the necessary requirements of such a device, but as manychanges could be made in the above description and many apparentlywidely different embodiments of the invention may be constructed withinthe scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit orscope thereof, it is intended that all matters contained in the saidaccompanying specification and drawings shall be interpreted asillustrative and not in a limitative or restrictive sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A tape cutter consisting of a thin elongated strip of a springynature, and formed into a cylindrical coil, a bevelled tearing edge ofsubstan" tially the full width of the tape to be cut and extendingtransversely in a straight line across one'end of said strip and anintegral thumbengaging wing free along three sides and rounding upwardsfrom said strip, centrally of the sides thereof and adjacent saidtearing edge for applying pressure on said tearing edge; said stripbeing formed as a coiled spring continuing through more than one fullconvolution in contracted form and usea'ble from an open position ofmore than one-half a convolution to fully contracted position.

2. As an article of manufacture, a tape cutter formed of an elongatedstrip of springy material coiled longitudinally through more than onefull convolution in normal contracted form, a beveled tearing edgeextending transversely in a straight line across one end of said strip,the main body of said strip beyond said tearing edge being narrower andan integral pressure-applying, thumbengaging wing connected to saidstrip along one of its sides and free from said strip along three sides,rounding up therefrom, centrally oi the sides of said strip and adjacentsaid tearing edge, the centre side of the three free sides being inearest to said tearing edge.

DONALD J. JARDINE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

